The invention relates to a solar cell comprising a semiconductor body containing a pn-junction, a metallized area on the upper surface provided for incoming light, which surface is provided moreover with a reflection reducing layer, and comprising a rear face contact on the opposite outer surface of the semiconductor body.
In the past, in order to increase the efficiency of conversion, silicon solar cells have been provided with an anti-reflection layer on the upper surface provided for incoming light. This reflection-reducing layer comprises an insulating material and therefore may not be allowed to cover the contact or region of connection on the front face of the solar cell which is provided for further connection to other cells. The thickness of the reflection-reducing layer must be selected so that the minimum of reflection occurs at approximately 600 nm. Generally, it is a .lambda./4 layer of an oxide having a refractive index of 1.4 to 2.4. This layer reduces the reflection capacity of the solar cell surface in a wavelength range between 0.3 and 1.2 .mu.m from approximately 30% to less than 10% so that the degree of efficiency of the solar cells is considerably increased.
When manufacturing the reflection-reducing layer in the past, the contacting region had to be masked in order to prevent an insulating convering layer from being formed. This masking had to be removed again eventually in order to expose the metal contact.